Reservoirs we know

Well it turns out that England is full of reservoirs! Apparently there are only, and literally, 1 or 2 lakes in the whole of the country. So that meant a vast programme of reservoir construction, much of which was done in Victorian times.

Anyway we certainly have our fair share around Harrogate and the Yorkshire Water Board allows walkers and fishermen (I haven't seen a fisherlady so far), access to their perimeters. Generally the walking is superb on account of the lake like scenery, and the walks are not too hilly!

Last week I walked around Eccup Reservoir on the Harewood Estate. The walk often took me a little way from the water's edge but was a beautiful trundle through fields of wheat,

country lanes and beautiful water views.

As almost always in this crowded country human habitation is never far away, and in this case it was only about half a mile away

at Alwoody, outside Leeds.

But I could have been a hundred miles from anywhere. We often find ourselves asking where the 60,000,000 people are. The answer, of course is in the high rise and bounded cities.

Much angst is coming I think, as the Government wants to use green-belts to provide cheaper housing. And it is sobering to think that every single thing, beautiful or not, on this walk, had been created or planted by man. Maybe even the sky.

Why do visitors always leave?

Our little flat has seen a procession of Kiwis through this month. And fantastic it has been too!
Firstly Dave from Oratia who traveled up from London and Paris with some lovely honest French local wine. Totalle Dave, Totalle!!
Sam was here then too waiting for his trip to a rock concert in Barcelona and for his new job in London to start. Well I'm afraid Dave is such a completely bad influence that we found it difficult to remain sober for long while he was here! Sam wasn't much help either. Since then Dave has returned to NZ and Sam has been to Barcelona and has started his job, which he likes. He works for a publishing company in the research department and is involved in lots of statistical analysis. He is living in his cousin Kate's flat temporarily and will look for a flat now. He has been so fortunate to have Kate in London.

While Sam was with us Nick arrived as well, which was fabulous. It was the first time that we had all been together for over a year. Nick has left the "Walkabout"and starts work in the accounts dept of Harvey Nicholls on Monday. The hours and the pay are much better and I suspect that the conditions of the workplace will be better too. He has moved into a nice pad in Edinburgh and the future looks bright for him.

It was lovely to be able to be a family again and to see how our boys are becoming wonderful young men.

For the past few days we have had Bill and Julie here. It was so fabulous to see them. We dragged them around Yorkshire, drank local beers in local pubs and generally caught up with these lovely friends, and then, all to soon put them on the train in Harrogate for their connection

to Edinburgh, where they stayed with Scott and Anna, had lunch with Nick and then swept out of the country for a reunion in California, before arriving back in Auckland on Monday morning.
So small is the world.

In amongst all this we had a call from another old friend, John who was based in Scarborough.
Try as we might we couldn't find a time or place to get together. Hope you had a great birthday John!










Gina has just left for a 2 week sojourn in Suffolk and so the house is very quiet. I have been working at Leeds University and I'm hoping that there will be some ongoing work when the new term starts in September. It is a privilege to be working there as it is a very good university. The staff are extremely collegial. I am teaching post grad students and it is a great pleasure.It was was humming last week as there were many graduation ceremonies. Lots of new grads in their gowns and with their parents and other loved ones.

Which leads me to another university friend who we couldn't get together with: Georgie phoned from the South having arrived from Pylos where she had enrolled for the second time on the same course that we did in 2006. Both Gina and I had long telephone conversations with her and we plan to met up with her and Wyn next June in Pylos! Maybe Kathe can make it too??

Georgie and Kathe are two of those rare people who you meet and just know that this will be a life-long friendship. Generously helped along with wine, good and appalling jokes and common interests!

Sam & Gina do Wimbledon

This has been a bit of a dream for me for years & to share it with Sam who is also keen on tennis was great fun. Sam is now living in London so met me off the train & Liverpool St Station. After a reviving cuppa in his flat we went off to my hotel in Earls Court, where we booked in & had a simple but nutritious dinner round the corner.

After receiving a leaflet explaining to us "How to Queue!!!!" we joined the line & were pleased to be only waiting for around 2 hrs. The increased security, bag search & X rays made an extra welcome diversion as did the lines of police in front of us allowing us to go forward in an orderly manner.
Being the cheapos we are we chose to have stand tickets which did not allow us into Centre or No1 courts. Nevertheless we saw some great tennis not least of which was the young men probably around 16 on the outer courts. Also Bartoli who ended up in the final against Venus W. Djokovic & also a little of Jamie Murray in his mixed doubles.
Fortunately the rain was relatively kind & only an hour or so of umbrellas.